A Killing Season

by Jessica Speart

  Ten

  I pointed the Ford toward Sally’s, letting my mind drift. Though I knew prejudice came in all shapes and sizes, it still surprised me no matter how well prepared I tried to be.

  I thrust Honey Lungren temporarily from my thoughts by focusing on Montana’s panoramic scenery, which worked its usual magic in no time at all. While I’d heard that sherbet is dandy for cleansing one’s palate, it takes a dose of nature to cleanse your soul.

  The newly fallen snow clung to the crevices of the Rocky Mountain Front like an intricate Spanish mantilla, adding subtle dimensions to its cliffs and peaks. One ragged summit morphed into the pearly head of a bald eagle, while another took on the visage of an enigmatic sphinx. I couldn’t help but wonder how many grizzlies had already settled down for their long winter sleep, and if today’s bear was the last I’d have to confront until spring.

  You’re not frightened, are you? taunted my ever-present demon. You can’t hide, no matter how hard you try. Run, and I’ll always find you. There’s no denying what you’re afraid of—facing your own mortality.

  I pressed down hard on the gas pedal and sped away.

  The late afternoon sun chased after me as thoughts of Matthew Running began to drift through my mind. He slid into my consciousness as effortlessly as he walked upon the land.

  I found myself daydreaming about the man, and how I’d so willingly placed myself in his hands. The adrenaline rush afterward had been totally intoxicating. It was that erotic mix of flirting with danger and giving up control that was so highly seductive. Even now, I could feel myself tingling as I relived the bear attack—first visualizing it in fast forward and then in tantalizing slow motion. Finally, there had been Matthew Running wrapping his arms around me.

  And that was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that would never happen again.

  My reaction to Running was as irritating as an inexplicable itch. I’d been back together with Jake Santou for six months now. Granted, it was a long-distance relationship, but Santou was the man I’d been pining after for years. How could I suddenly be attracted to someone else?

  I decided to bypass Browning; it could prove far too tempting to stop by Matthew’s office on some lame excuse. Instead, I veered onto a back road and drove north past fields of prairie grass, tall and stiff as bristles, their wiry tips shimmering like the frosted hairs on a grizzly’s back.

  All was still, including my thoughts, when a sudden movement captured my attention. Glimmering in the sun was a figure that dipped and swayed like a marionette that had broken loose of its strings. I focused my gaze and scanned the area until I once again spotted the phantom. There it was! A slender form staggered out among the prairie grass, performing a delicate balancing act.

  I brought my vehicle to a halt and lowered the window. “Are you all right?” I called out.

  The figure continued to spiral and swoon. It was that of a young girl, whose hair cascaded down her back like a jet-black waterfall. A gray sweater and navy skirt covered her frail limbs.

  “Can you hear me?” I hollered once more.

  This time the girl stopped and seemed to gaze in my direction. Then her legs gave way and she crumpled to the ground like a paper doll. I flung open the door and ran to her aid, snow crunching beneath my boots.

  It took less than a minute to reach the spot where the girl lay as still as a fallen sparrow. I hooked my hands under her arms and pulled the child to her feet. She couldn’t have weighed more than eighty pounds, and appeared to be about twelve years old.

  A steady growl filled the air, causing a flurry of shivers to rain down upon my skin. The sound was that of a vehicle’s engine, and I looked up in time to catch a lime-green Jeep Cherokee prowling the road.

  A gaunt visage stared out from behind the Cherokee’s windshield. Even from this distance, there could be no mistaking the drawn face, the hollow eyes and sickly gray pallor. Doc Hutchins, the man I’d bumped into at the Red Crow Café this very morning.

  The vehicle continued to slowly cruise past, observing us as though the girl and I were participants in some strange sort of experiment. I struggled to hold the child up with one arm and frantically wave with the other, but the good doctor promptly sped up and took off. My eyes followed in disbelief, catching sight of the bumper sticker on his rear fender. “Look Busy! Jesus Is Coming!”

  Doc Hutchins was doing a fair imitation of just that as he burned rubber and swung a hard left. The Jeep connected with the blacktop and headed south, out of the reservation.

  I sincerely doubted that Doc Hutchins was running off to get more help, so I half-carried, half-dragged the girl to my vehicle. Once there, I pushed her up into the passenger seat and buckled her in. I didn’t have to think twice about where to go; Sally’s house was just down the road.

  The sculpted bears gazed curiously as I sped by, not stopping until I’d reached the house. Their inquisitiveness was further heightened as I beeped the horn and Sally came running out.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, peering in at the girl.

  “I found her in the field south of here. She was staggering and suddenly collapsed. Can I bring her inside?”

  “Of course,” Sally said briskly. “Here, let me help you carry her.”

  We transported her into the living room and placed her on the couch. Her skin was cold to the touch and her body shivered, as if in a state of shock.

  “Dear God, what was this child thinking? How could she wander about in weather like this wearing nothing but a sweater?” Sally muttered.

  Though neither of us chose to verbalize it, another question hung heavy in the air. Doesn’t she realize that she could have met up with a hungry bear?

  The girl’s wan face floated like a disembodied ghost above her pillow of dark hair.

  “Do you have any idea who she might be?”

  Sally stared at the child before finally shaking her head. “No, but we’ll find out soon enough. The important thing right now is to cover her in blankets and get some hot tea into her.”

  Sally bustled into the kitchen to put on the kettle, and I wrapped the shivering girl in layer upon layer of bright wool blankets. When I finished, a pair of frightened brown eyes had opened to greet me.

  “Good. You’re awake.” I flashed a reassuring smile as Sally entered the room with a mug of tea. “Don’t worry. You’re safe.”

  “Prop her head up, Rachel,” Sally instructed, and sternly looked at the girl. “Now, I don’t want any argument. Just drink this down. It’s herbal tea that’s good for you.”

  The girl docilely did as instructed. My guess was that she’d probably have drunk a cup of mud, rather than face the wrath of the female drill sergeant who loomed before her.

  “How do you feel now?” Sally questioned.

  “Better,” the child mumbled and almost instantly fell back asleep.

  Part of me wondered if this was a clever ploy on the child’s part to escape Sally’s brusqueness. Had I thought of it, I might have been tempted to try the same tactic during our initial meeting. The surprising thing was how patient and tender Sally could be when it came to caring for wildlife. Too bad it didn’t seem to carry over when it came to people.

  I headed for the phone. “I’m going to call the tribal police and report that I found this girl. Her parents must realize that she’s missing by now and are probably frantic.”

  As I turned to pick up the receiver, I caught sight of Sally’s hand lightly hovering above the girl’s head. I pretended not to notice as she softly began to stroke the dark mass of hair. Apparently Sally wasn’t as tough as she liked to pretend. Perhaps it had something to do with the loss of her son. We both seemed to be dealing with a confusing jumble of emotions at the moment.

  Just then Matthew Running came through the front door with Custer bounding behind him. His appearance caught me by surprise and my heart began to flicker. Damn it! I could have better prepared myself, if I’d had some warning of his arrival. As it was, I took one look at tho
se predaceous eyes and knew I was in big trouble. I no longer wanted to pull away from their gaze, but allowed myself to sink inside them a little deeper. In turn, his eyes proceeded to swallow me whole.

  Then I remembered the unknown girl who was quietly sleeping behind me. Running seemed to sense that something was amiss, and his demeanor instantly altered. The lines around his mouth grew more pronounced, and his movements were no longer fluid, but punctuated and sharp.

  “What’s happened?”

  His voice sounded so taut that I could have trampolined off it and touched the sky.

  “Rachel found a girl in a nearby field, who apparently became ill and fainted,” Sally answered his question. “I’ve given her some tea and she’s resting, but I have absolutely no idea as to who she is. Rachel was just about to call the tribal police and notify them.”

  “Hold off on that a second,” Matthew said, and strode past me.

  His hand brushed against mine and a jolt of electricity shot through my body. I instinctively knew that Running had felt the same thing.

  “Why, this is Elizabeth Come-By-Night,” he said in surprise. “You remember Bearhead? Well, that’s his daughter.”

  “Lord help us. We don’t need him getting upset.” Sally raised a wary eyebrow in my direction.

  I gave a slight nod, signaling that I knew perfectly well what she was talking about.

  “I wonder what Elizabeth was doing all the way over here? This is a good distance from her home,” Matthew said.

  “Maybe she heard that I had birds and wanted to see them. Oh, dear, you don’t suppose she found out about the cubs, do you?” Sally suggested.

  “I sure as hell hope not. I don’t think Bearhead would take too kindly to that.”

  Just then the girl stirred. Matthew knelt down and gently picked up her hand.

  “Hey there, Elizabeth. A little birdie told me that they found you outside taking a nap. What are you doing so far from home? Did you walk over here for any special reason?”

  But the child simply blinked and mutely stared at him.

  “I know! You must have been trying to pick flowers out in the snow. Or maybe you were being chased by a big snowman with a carrot for a nose?” Matthew teased.

  The girl shyly shook her head, and then her eyes filled with tears. “No, nothing like that. You aren’t going to punish me, are you?”

  “Of course not.” Matthew lightly tickled the girl. “Don’t be silly. Why would I do that?”

  “Because I wandered away when I wasn’t supposed to,” the girl whispered and buried her face in his chest.

  Running responded by giving her a hug.

  “I want to go home now,” Elizabeth said, her voice muffled within the folds of his jacket. Custer joined in by licking her hand and the girl couldn’t help but giggle.

  “I think that can be arranged.” Matthew picked her up in his arms and held the child as if she were his own. “How about if this pretty lady comes with us? Would that be all right, Elizabeth?” he asked and motioned toward me.

  “I’m afraid this pretty lady is busy right now,” Sally teased. “But I’ve got an idea: why don’t you take Rachel with you, instead? Then the two of you can come back here and join me for dinner.”

  Matthew grinned at me, and I felt myself beginning to fall under his spell again. Even worse, I was growing to like it.

  “Sure. I guess I can deal with Rachel as a substitute. Dinner sounds good, too. You know me when it comes to cooking.”

  “Only too well,” Sally replied. “The one time he tried, I nearly ended up needing a new kitchen.”

  It seemed Running and I had something in common. As far as I was concerned, a kitchen was good for only two things—keeping beer cold and microwaving popcorn.

  We drove off in Running’s pickup with Elizabeth squeezed between us, and Custer riding shotgun in the cargo bay. The field flashed by where I’d found the girl. It looked no different than it had earlier. Elizabeth grew weary and rested her head against my arm as we sped down the road. In no time at all, she was once again asleep.

  Matthew glanced over at the child and a bittersweet smile tugged at his lips. “She was lucky that you came by when you did. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened.”

  “I’m sure she would have been fine,” I automatically responded.

  “You couldn’t be more wrong. Elizabeth, and all the others like her, will never be fine on this rez. Not as long as conditions stay as they are and don’t improve. Wait till you see where she lives. Maybe then you’ll understand that the plight of the Indian is the same as that of the grizzly. We’re both just a heartbeat away from extinction.”

  We drove past windswept hills to the turnoff for a subdivision that was the size of a flea on the landscape. Its two short streets were dotted with tar paper shacks whose roofs were so poorly nailed on that they had to be held down by worn-out tires. The few people outside barely moved, but sat and stared vacantly off into the distance. Even dogs refused to roam these streets, preferring to hang out in Browning.

  We parked in front of a dilapidated hovel like all the others, and Matthew scooped up the child in his arms.

  “Come and say hello to a friend of yours.” He grinned.

  What a perfect way to end a fun-filled day—sparring a few rounds with Bearhead.

  Running placed the girl on her feet as I knocked on a flimsy door that was immediately flung open. Bearhead looked like a man half crazed with grief. His eyes were red and his hair was a certified disaster area. It stood straight out, as though he’d been tugging on its ends. His gaze flew from me to Matthew, finally coming to rest on the child by our side. Only then did he exhale a deep, primal moan of relief. Bearhead grabbed his daughter and held her tight. That lasted for all of five seconds before he morphed into a raging madman.

  “Just what in the hell have you been doing with my daughter?” he angrily demanded, shaking a clenched fist in my face.

  “Excuse me, but I believe the question should be, why didn’t you know where she was?” I retorted irritably.

  “Whoa! Hold on there a second!” Matthew stepped between us, taking on the role of referee. “You want to thank Rachel instead of threatening her, Bearhead. She’s the one who found Elizabeth and made sure that your daughter was safe.”

  Bearhead reluctantly lowered his huge paw and slowly shuffled his feet, keeping one enormous arm wrapped around the girl’s shoulders. “Elizabeth was in trouble and you helped her?”

  I consciously lowered my own killer hormone level a good couple of notches. “She must not have been feeling well. I spotted her just as she fainted out in a field.”

  Bearhead took an embarrassed swat at his nose. “In that case, I guess my friend here is right. I owe you an apology.”

  He motioned for us to enter. The interior of his house proved to be just as run-down as its exterior. A few threadbare pieces of furniture were scattered about a living room whose warped wooden floor was nearly as pitted as Bearhead’s face.

  “Take a seat.” He gestured awkwardly.

  The metal folding chair squeaked protestingly beneath me. Elizabeth ran to pick up a raggedy Barbie doll as Bearhead protectively watched her every move.

  “What happened?” he asked, once the girl was safely seated on the floor.

  Matthew gave a noncommittal shrug. “We’re not really sure. Elizabeth hasn’t told us anything yet.”

  “Elizabeth, come over here.” Bearhead’s voice was stern, but the hint of a quiver betrayed his true emotion.

  “Can I bring my doll?”

  “Yes, Barbie can come, too. I want to talk to you.”

  Elizabeth looked like a tiny doll herself as she settled into the hulking man’s lap.

  “You had an appointment to see the doctor today after school. Did you go to the clinic like you were supposed to?”

  Elizabeth nodded and began to restyle Barbie’s hair.

  “Are you talking about Dr. Hutchins?” I asked in surprise.

/>   “Yes. She gets a physical once a year, the same as the rest of the children on the rez. Why? Do you know him?”

  “Only by sight.” Strange. If Doc Hutchins was so interested in Elizabeth’s health, then why hadn’t he stopped to help?

  Elizabeth pretended to give Barbie a shot. “That’s what Dr. Hutchins did while I was there.”

  I looked over at Bearhead.

  “The children all get shots this time of year to protect against the flu,” he said.

  “But I didn’t feel so good afterward,” Elizabeth confided.

  Bearhead pulled a rubber band from his pocket and wrapped the child’s hair up in a ponytail. “You didn’t feel well, huh? And what did they give you for lunch at school?”

  “Split pea soup and a bologna sandwich.”

  “Did you eat it?”

  Elizabeth didn’t respond, but continued to play with her Barbie doll.

  Bearhead grunted and lifted the child off his lap. “Just as I suspected. She won’t eat lunch if she doesn’t like the food they serve. No wonder she fainted. It’s hard to get her to eat, anyway. Look at how thin she is, and she’s always trying to diet. It’s all because of that Britney Spears singer. The one who’s in those teen magazines. Elizabeth wants to look just like her—some scrawny white girl!”

  Funny, but I could identify with that. Even Bob Dole and his dog seemed to like her.

  Matthew stood up, signaling it was time to leave, and Bearhead walked us to the door.

  “I want to thank you again,” he grudgingly said, looming above me. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to my little girl, after losing her mother and my brother. I’m always worrying that some goddamn grizzly is going to try and snatch her away from me. Especially with what’s been going on around here lately.”

  “You can’t really believe that everyone who disappears on the rez has been eaten by a grizzly.” Blaming everything on the bears seemed to have become an awfully convenient excuse.

  “I sure as hell can,” Bearhead irritably growled.